The Best Functional Mushrooms for Mood

A group of super herbs and functional mushrooms that help our bodies adapt to stressors are called adaptogens.

You might already be familiar with ashwagandha, turmeric, maca, or ginseng. Perhaps you’ve even heard of white Bryony. All of these are adaptogens and even include some functional mushrooms.

The criteria for adaptogens are quite stringent but these mushrooms cut: cordyceps, chaga, lion’s mane, reishi, turkey tail, and tremella known as the snow mushroom.

In what appears to be very complimentary ways, each of these individual functional mushrooms promotes a sense of calm and an overall more balanced mood. 

The Mush-keteers

We will feature only four of them here, they are reishi, cordyceps, chaga, and lion’s mane.

Lion’s mane, cordyceps, and reishi mushrooms could not look more different but have complementary and synergistic potential benefits for human well-being.

Reishi is a red, kidney-shaped mushroom that contains compounds like triterpenoids and has been dubbed the “Mushroom of Immortality“. 

Sought out for centuries to balance QI energy and optimize restorative sleep.

The parasitic fungus that grows on caterpillar larvae is more commonly known as cordyceps. 

This mushroom also comes with a long history, particularly as a potential energy booster and vitality activator.

Cordyceps is often associated with feeling more rejuvenated and vibrant and is most often used before or after a workout.

Chaga is a very nondescript dense brown lump that has been used over hundreds of years as a fabric dye and immunity support.

Chaga became a substance of great interest to Alexander Solzhenitsyn as per his book entitled Cancer Ward. 

He quoted “that poorer people saved money on tea by brewing chaga.”

His statement about Chaga is not only the eye of society but also of science.

The Emperor of the Mushroom Jungle is arguably Lion’s Mane. Its white, fluffy appearance is not only pretty but also packed with potent compounds.

Lion’s mane is the mushroom most frequently associated with potential mood and cognitive benefits.

It contains compounds such as hericenones and erinacines, which are currently being studied for any impact on the growth of brain cells. 

Stacking Your Functional Mushies

Depending on the type of TLC you need at the moment, each of the above adaptogenic functional mushrooms can be wonderfully supportive of a balanced and resilient mood. Combining functional mushrooms can work well, especially when it comes to Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, and Reishi.

Adding these four to your supplementation regime may just be what you’ve been looking for to boost your sense of emotional well-being and resilience.

Please remember to first get the okay from your doctor before adding functional mushrooms to your daily protocol.  

Once that is sorted, be sure to source mushroom extracts that are fully bioavailable and digestible.

As soon as you’ve tried the ‘good’ stuff, aka our stuff , I’m quite confident that you and your loved ones will notice a marked improvement in your mood.

As always, 

Shine bright. Do good. Flow strong.

Asha ✨